Next year’s Gator Growl and Homecoming will come earlier in the fall schedule than usual.

The University of Florida Faculty Senate settled on the Oct. 17-18 weekend because of changes in the 2014 football schedule, said Dan Apple, assistant director of communications for UF Athletics.

“Next year’s schedule is different. There’s a big gap between home games so they chose to have it a little earlier,” Apple said.

UF will have a 14-week schedule with two bye weeks, as it does this year. Between an Oct. 25 bye week and away games the following two weeks (against Georgia in the Gator Bowl, followed by a trip to Vanderbilt), the Gators will have a four-week gap between home games of Oct. 18 and Nov. 15, so the Faculty Senate chose the earlier game when UF will host the Missouri Tigers.

This year’s Homecoming and Gator Growl is Nov. 8-9, with UF hosting the Vanderbilt Commodores on Nov. 9.